1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus having facsimile and telephone functions, which is operable in a facsimile mode or a telephone mode.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Facsimile apparatuses having facsimile and telephone functions have been known as disclosed, such as, in Japanese First (unexamined) Patent Publication No. 63-211960.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a schematic structure of one of the conventional facsimile apparatuses having the facsimile and telephone functions. FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a control routine to be executed in a presence operation mode for performing selection between a facsimile mode and a conversation mode, and FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a control routine to be executed in an absence operation mode for performing selection between a facsimile mode and an automatic answering/recording mode.
In FIG. 8, at a first step 10, a controller 3 determines whether a ring signal from a calling party is received through a telephone line 1, based on a detection signal from a ring signal detection circuit 2. When the ring signal is detected, the routine proceeds to a step 11 where the controller 3 controls the interface circuit 4 to close the telephone line 1. When the telephone line 1 is closed, a facsimile communication start signal (hereinafter referred to as "CNG signal") is transmitted from the caller facsimile apparatus when the caller facsimile apparatus is operated under an automatic calling mode. A subsequent step 12 determines based on a detection signal from a CNG signal detection circuit 5 whether the CNG signal is detected within a predetermined time T1 (for example, about 4 seconds). When the CNG signal is detected at the step 12, the routine proceeds to a step 13 where the controller 3 selects the facsimile mode by switching a switching circuit 6 to a facsimile communication circuit 7 to connect the facsimile communication circuit 7 to the telephone line 1 so that a facsimile communication can be performed with the caller facsimile apparatus.
On the other hand, when no CNG signal is detected at the step 12, the routine proceeds to a step 14 which determines whether a telephone handset is off-hooked within a predetermined time T2. The predetermined time T2 is determined so as to allow a speaker to produce a ringing tone, for example, three to six times. When the handset is off-hooked at the step 14, the routine proceeds to a step 15 where the controller 3 selects a conversation mode by switching the switching circuit 6 to a telephone communication circuit 8 for connection to the telephone line 1 so that the conversation can be performed between the calling and called parties. On the other hand, when the step 14 determines that the handset is not off-hooked within the predetermined time T2, the routine proceeds to a step 16 where the controller 3 selects the facsimile mode by switching the switching circuit 6 to connect the facsimile communication circuit 7 to the telephone line 1 so that the facsimile communication can be performed with the caller facsimile apparatus.
The steps 14 and 16 are provided for the following reason:
When the caller facsimile apparatus is operated under the automatic calling mode, the CNG signal is immediately transmitted through the telephone line 1. On the other hand, when the caller facsimile apparatus is operated under a manual calling mode, there is such a facsimile apparatus that produces no CNG signal. Accordingly, even when no CNG signal is detected at the step 12, there is a possibility that the caller wishes the facsimile communication.
Now, referring to FIG. 9, the control routine to be executed during the absence operation mode will be explained. In FIG. 9, at a first step 20, the controller 3 determines whether the ring signal from the caller is received through the telephone line 1, based on the detection signal from the ring signal detection circuit 2. When the ring signal is detected, the routine proceeds to a step 21 where the controller 3 controls the interface circuit 4 so as to close the telephone line 1. Subsequently, a step 22 determines based on the detection signal from the CNG signal detection circuit 5 whether the CNG signal is detected within the predetermined time T1. When the CNG signal is detected at the step 22, the routine proceeds to a step 23 where the controller 3 selects the facsimile mode by switching the switching circuit 6 to connect the facsimile communication circuit 7 to the telephone line 1. On the other hand, when no CNG signal is detected at the step 22, the routine proceeds to a step 24 where the controller 3 selects the automatic answering/recording mode by switching the switching circuit 6 to connect the telephone communication circuit 8 to the telephone line 1. Further, at a step 25, the controller 3 sets an audio recording/reproducing device 10 ready for recording an incoming voice signal from the calling party.
The conventional facsimile apparatus as described above has the following drawbacks:
In the foregoing conventional facsimile apparatus, when the handset is not off-hooked within the predetermined time T2, the facsimile mode is unconditionally selected while the presence operation mode is set.
However, there are occasions where the called party is at home while it takes a time longer than the predetermined time T2 to pick up the handset due to, for example, attending to urgent matters or due to noise which makes it difficult to notice the ringing tone. On these occasions, since the conventional facsimile apparatus is automatically switched to the facsimile mode, the calling party can not perform the telephone conversation with the called party even when the called party is at home. Further, when the called party goes out without setting to the absence operation mode, the calling party can not record his/her message.